Liverpool have a “ruthless” 19-year-old striker who could surpass Ekitike

Arne Sloat’s Anfield is packed with a variety of top-class talent, but Liverpool are still struggling to get going this season.

In truth, this was always going to be a testing year for the Reds after the events of the summer, and the team deserves a bit of leeway.

But the football will keep coming, and Liverpool know they cannot allow their miserable form in the Premier League to continue, having lost five of their past six games in the division.

Regardless, Liverpool can be optimistic about the future. The likes of Florian Wirtz and Alexander Isak may not have found their groove yet after their record-breaking summer transfers, but these are two of the most talented players in England, and their success at the club is a matter of when, not if.

However, no such misfortune for Hugo Ekitiki, who has been thriving since completing his £69m move to the club from Eintracht Frankfurt in July.

The numbers behind Hugo Ekitiki’s start at Liverpool

If we look deeper into the Merseyside squad, we can see that Liverpool are nurturing a school of youngsters with great potential, and despite the bump in the road this year, there is a player who has the potential to leapfrog Ekitiki into ninth place.

Some felt that Liverpool’s hijacking of Newcastle United’s move to sign the French striker was unnecessary as they bid for Isak’s signature this summer, but Ekitiki responded emphatically on the pitch.

Highly mobile and innovative, Ekitike offers much more than just goals. Data from FBref tells us about his inconsistent quality, as he ranks in the top 8% of Premier League strikers this season for shooting movements and the top 2% for successful shots per 90.

In all competitions, he has scored more than any other Redman this season, after joining a loose tactical machine from abroad.

The 23-year-old’s ability to change his attacking outlook is one of his biggest strengths. He is tactically flexible, and this will serve him well over the coming years.

He has been one of the best strikers this season, for sure, and looks set for a proper future on Merseyside. However, he will continue to struggle with Isak for several minutes, and the Swedish striker is sure to make his global move at some point.

Furthermore, Liverpool are developing an academy star who has the potential to move forward.

The Liverpool teenager who can get past Ikitiki

When ‘Klopp’s kids’ helped guide the iconic Liverpool manager to silverware in his final season, fans believed the club had unearthed a treasure trove of emerging talent.

Most of these stars have since moved on, but Liverpool’s academy system has continued to develop and several stars have shown they have real potential.

Trey Nyonyi and Rio Ngomoha are the biggest names, but Kerrol Figueroa is definitely on his way to fame. The 19-year-old striker has scored seven goals in nine league appearances for Rob Page’s development squad this season, meaning he is currently the club’s top scorer at all levels, ahead of Ekitiki.

In October, Slott named Figueroa among his substitutes for the Carabao Cup at Anfield. Liverpool were thrashed 3-0 by Crystal Palace, but that was testament to the respect in which the teenager, son of former Premier League star Maynor Figueroa, is held.

A powerful runner, strong tackler and tenacious in all phases of the game, Figueroa is on the cusp of qualifying for the big stage, and while he will find opportunities hard to come by in a Reds team brimming with attacking talent, Slott is clearly a fan.

It is perhaps worth noting that Liverpool’s Under-21s have not been at their best this year. After nine games, the Pages are ranked 21st in the 29-team league.

They have only won three games, but in each of those games, Figueroa has scored. He has started just five of nine games this season. It’s clear to see why Page said he made the “deadly, cruel Number Nine.”

This is a great clinical trajectory for this prospect, and if he can prove that he has unlocked sustainable offensive quality, there’s a good chance he could be knocking on Slot’s door sooner than many expected, frankly.

There has been a clear focus over the last several years at Liverpool on keeping a clear pathway open, running from the academy to the first team.

Figueroa deserves a shot, especially since all the shots he takes now are going into the net. Of course, we’ve already seen this season the benefits to be gained from giving hungry young people (I’m looking at you, their stars) a chance.

Given Liverpool’s struggles at the highest level over the past few months, bringing in Figueroa in the coming months might not be a bad thing, if he continues to score at such a clinical rate.

He may not be at Ikitiki’s level at the moment, but his physique and innate eye for goals suggest he could become a real star on Merseyside, perhaps continuing to outperform the Frenchman down the line.

Related to

Bigger mistake than Quansah: Liverpool sold Gravenberch’s next squad for £15m

Liverpool made a bigger mistake than offloading Jarrell Quansah when they offloaded Ryan Gravenbersh for just £15m.